Journey to Fourtrees
by SomeoneI'mSure
Summary: [Warriors AU] It is time for Destiny's Clan to leave the Shadowlands, but its seems there are still a few things that the cats need to do before they go. That is, until the forest erupts in fire around them, forcing them onto a journey they aren't exactly sure they are prepared for... Temp Haitus
1. Prologue

******This is a sequel to The Dark Trail, a nine-parter which once belonged to my story Before the Stars, which I have since deleted. To understand this story, please read that one first. I will be posting chapters once every day afterwards.**  


**Please note that Journey to Fourtrees is entirely an AU and it refers to a time from long before the _Dawn of the Clans_ and can also be used as the basis for having many different forest Clans in the _Original Arc _time frame. If you are going to reference any part of this story in your own story, please be sure add the name of this story and the Author in an author note.**

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**Story Title**: _Journey to Fourtrees_

**Genre**: Adventure & Tragedy

**Main Characters**: Dapples, Raven, Silverpelt, and Night Sky, all OCs.

**Summary**: It is time for Destiny's Clan to leave the Shadowlands, but its seems there are still a few things that the cats need to do before they go. That is, until the forest erupts in fire around them, forcing them onto a journey they aren't exactly sure they are prepared for. Elsewhere, a group of cats wait anxiously for their foretold arrival...

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**Journey to Fourtrees**

_Prologue_

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A single lonely star twinkled in the night sky, and beyond the not-so-far away twinkling of human porch lights and glowing square windows, there was no other light source in sight. The barn was the perfect place for dark shadows to lurk.

Cats crept forward out of the darkness, their dark lythe shapes turned to shadows as they approached the wall of the barn. A black she-cat nosed her way out in front, her keen hazel-flecked amber eyes gleaming in the dark night as she sniffed around the barn's base, eyes flickering over the flat landscape surrounding the barn. She scented no dog-smells, but she wasn't taking any chances. A black tom and a dark brown tabby tom padded close behind her, while the rest of the cats kept a safe distance in case they needed to flee if she signaled that there was danger.

As they came to a crack in the woodwork, one large enough for the largest of them all to slip through, she flicked an ear at the black tom, and the tom signaled his companion to crouch down and wait. The brown tabby tom itched to rebel, but he settled down in the gass and waited, knowing the danger of disobeying. With a nod, the black tom slipped inside the barn and she slipped silently after him. They immediately froze at the entrance, shoulder to shoulder, their keen eyes looking at opposite sides of the barn for any sign of moment from predators. A good long sniff of the heavy hay smelling atmosphere hit their nose and rolled down their throats, choking them. She shook her head to clear it, resisting the urge to sneeze.

After a few seconds of intense silence, the black tom bent his head towards the she-cat's ear, whispering so softly that she could barely hear him.

"Are you sure this is a good place to stay?"

Her shrewd amber eyes narrowed and her lips tighted, the corners of her mouth dipping in a frown. "I don't know, but it's better than nothing."

"But to stay here on the basis of a cat's dreams…" he began, incredulous at such a ridiculous suggestion. They had had this conversation before, long before they had started out in what they had hoped to be the direction of the barn. Even after arriving at their destination, he was still suspicious of just exactly how the so-called seer cat had known of the barn's location.

"Oaky hasn't been wrong yet," the she-cat meowed smoothly. "And besides, it's not like we can't leave. This place has so much room for prey and the forest around here are good for hunting in, but it could have so many predators as well. Besides, there's still that cat we have to worry about."

"If he even exists," said the tom, put out by his friend's belief in this stranger's dreams, but mollified at the thought that they still had the option to leave. "And if he does, we can easily take care of him."

The she-cat's whiskers twitched, unamused. "If he's a threat, Crow's Wing, but you have yet to convince me he is and until we actually meet him I doubt you'll sway me otherwise."

Crow's Wing grimaced, wrapping his tail around his paws and settling down on the itchy hay. His nose wrinkled at the smell of hay and he looked at the large stakes of hay barrels in the otherwise empty barn. "We should be careful, sis," he meowed, frustrated. "There's no telling what could happen with that she-cat and her dreams."

She leaned on his shoulder comfortingly, but refrained from any other signs of comfort. "Don't worry about her dreams, Crow," she meowed. "I don't think any harm will ever truly come from them."

After a moment, she turned away from and trotted out into the night. Crow's Wing paused, watching his sister's tail disappear out the barn wall.

_If only you knew the other half of the dream_, he thought sullenly. _You wouldn't feel so confident then, Night Sky._

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Night Sky had fetched the tabby tom and gestured for the rest of the cats to enter. They moved uncertainly around the barn, pawing through the itchy hay for a soft spot to stay. A she-cat began nesting in a thin patch of hay, depositing a small bundle on the smooth stone beneath. Two other she-cats, one big brown tabby and one light grey with black ear tips, deposited their own bundles with the first, and the three little kits wiggled instinctively towards their mother's milk. The dark grey tabby queen licked her kits warmly, grimacing at the itchy hay as it attempted to reclaim its spot on the floor.

"Would you like me to get Swift to collect some bird feathers for your next?" asked the light grey she-cat, gently pawing at the hay and convincing it to move away. The queen licked her lips at the thought of food, nodding her answer to the she-cat, who dipped her head and left.

'I could bring some moss for that hard floor," offered the large tabby, frowning down at the wooden floor. The queen nodded her agreement, carefully nudging the kits around. The large tabby smiled at the sight and padded silently away, slipping away to disappear through the crack towards the outside. She spotted the two black leaders sitting as they looked over the human's dens. She padded silently away, her sixth sense guiding her away through the forest.

Oaky wasn't blind; she understood what the other cats thought of her and her special abilities. They didn't believe her, but she had grown up around cats who didn't believe her and she had started to feel less sensitive to their disbelief and bitting words. She knew that it would take time for them to accept her gifts, and she was a patient cat. She could wait.

But that was hardly what had her attention nowadays. Someone new had entered her dreams, a big brown tabby tom with fiery red stars for eyes. She tried to glimpse his eyes in the night sky, but only one star shown that night, as it did any other night. The bright white star that held the soul of a single powerful she-cat, one whose name she could not name. It watched over her, soothing her doubts and the sting of other's words.

Eversince it had climbed into the night sky a few days ago, it had been her constant companion, her light of hope in the dark. It had appeared the night the dream had come and she had met the big reddish brown tabby. His broad forehead and broad shoulders reflected in her own clear reflection on the puddles of water, prickling her with their familiarity. She was related to this cat who had visited her in her dreams and that excited her, more than anything else in the world had ever excited her.

Her dreams had started to get interesting and her pelt prickled with the thought of what lay ahead. Someone was coming, something was changing, and she was within a pawlength of understanding. The big tabby had told her that someone was coming and she couldn't wait for him to arrive, to ask him all the questions that were just waiting to poor out of her head.

She spotted some soft green moss at the base of a tree and she used her long claws to scoop it off the tree in sheets. She carefully stacked them one on top of the other, before wrapping her huge jaws around the stack. Turning, she padded back toward the barn. As its sharp peak came into focus, a dark black shape appeared before her, blue eyes flashing familiarly in the dark.

"Oaky," he greeted, settling down. The big tabby dropped her moss on the floor, her pelt bristling in trepidation. Crow's Wing was the only cat who took her prophecies seriously, though she had yet to understand why considering Crow's Wing also didn't tell Night Sky the full prophecy.

"Crow's Wing," she meowed, eyes shifting wearily over the lythe cat.

"I came to talk," he meowed, noticing her stiff limbs, and added hurriedly. "About the dream."

Oaky wrapped her fluffy tail around her paws, thoughtfully gazing at the smaller tom. "I have a few things I'd like to say myself, Crow," she meowed.

He flinched, wrapping his tail around his paws as he sat down. "I understand you're mad, Oaky," he began. "But I'm doing it for a good reason."

"Really?" she meowed. "Because it seems to me that you avoiding it is only making the situation worse."

He opened his mouth to object and then shut it, thinking. "I'm worried, Oaky, about that tom. I don't want to worry her about the full prophecy until after I've checked him out. He could try to hurt Night Sky and the others, and I don't want that."

Her eyes narrowed, not remembering anything in the prophecy about a cat getting hurt, but she saw the conviction in Wing's face and consented. "Okay, but promise me you'll tell her when you realize that tom isn't a threat."

His shoulder fur ruffled, but he nodded his relief. "Yes, of course, Oaky." He rose to his paws and touched noses with her. "Thank you."

She sniffed in his scent, sighing as he turned away and disappeared into the night. His scent lingered on her fur and she found herself taking a deep breath, before snorting it away. Shaking herself, she pulled herself to her paws, scooped up the moss and headed back to the barn.

_They will be safe_, she thought. _Your brother will not hurt your sister, Crow. I just hope you realize that before something you do something mousebrained._

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**On _Before the Stars_:**

**After I finished writing _Before the Stars_, I realized that my main problem with that story is that I didn't exactly focus on Spottedleaf's perspective during the writing of the plot. Though I did rewrite the Epilogue to include Spottedleaf more and to bring the whole story together better, I'm afraid I cannot go back and fix most of the other chapters. And my reasoning is very simple; it will change the story dramatically from its original intent. The person who first wrote that story and the person that I have become now are two different people, and any changes I make to the original piece of work would not only destroy the carefully made intention of the story, but also put a big damper on my mood. I will keep it as is, and, beyond a few spelling and grammatical mistakes that people point out to me, I will not be changing the basic storyline in anyway. With that said, I might write a few short stories to expand on what happened in _Before the Stars_. If people are willing to fuel my muse, I could end up writing up a few _Destiny Tales _*winkwink*nudgenudge*. If you have any particular character of mine you'd be interested in seeing a short story about, please PM me or leave a review here or on Before the Stars. Thank you.**

**Edit: I didn't mean to confuse, but I'm not taking OCs. I have too many of my own as is and they all have a special place in my story. If you want to see me write an oneshot about my own OC, put the name of my character in a review or PM.**


	2. Silverpelt

**Chapter 1**

_Silverpelt_

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The Moontree glowed silver in the moonlight, the moondust covered ground around it turned pale white in the half-moon as the light struggled to pierce through the ever-dark night clouds far overhead. Silence permeated through everything; and not even the rains fell from the fat clouds to patter against the Greenhouse's walls. A shape emerged from the black mouth of the tunnel, followed by two tom, carrying a limp she-cat between them. More cats poured in behind them, gathering around the base of the Moontree.

The last four cats hesitated at the sight of the pale tree trunk; the moonlight had turned the Greenhouse into an entirely different world, a sharp contrast to the dark silence of the tunnel they had just left. It almost seemed as if the Moontree welcomed them, drawing them away from the abyssal depths of the strange dark tunnels. One by one, they turned their gaze towards the dark shapes of the cats solemnly position themselves before the tree, forming a half circle around the limp she-cat. The brown and white cat, elderly and frail, seemed at peace and asleep, curled on a patch of soft moondust. She carried the dignity of a leader, even as death hung about her sightless pale blue eyes, hooded in death and staring out sightlessly toward the big oak tree.

The two toms backed off from the carefully arranged body, taking up a position in the half-circle, but staying one paw step closer to the body than everyone else. The current leader of the band, a calico she-cat, leaped up onto the short wooden wall beneath the tree, her green eyes gazing out over the make-shift clan, her gaze lingering on the four new arrivals before landing on the still form. She blinked, her voice clear and soft as she addressed the Clan.

"I'm sure you have all heard the news," she meowed, her face momentarily pinching in pain. Her face quickly smoothed out, reflecting her internal struggle to hide her grief. "Our leader and mother, Destiny, is dead." She looked down at the limp she-cat, her eyes roaming over the brown and white fur, the mud stained and old blue collar. The old silver bell had long since fallen off, leaving only a rusted link where it once hung. She continued, forcing her voice not to waver.

"You might have already heard the events surrounding her tragic death, but allow me to make it clear." She lifted her head, briefly search the sky for strength before calmly meeting the eyes of each of her denmates. "Yesterday, she and Silver had gone to the Redhouse, after they had heard rumors of the kits that were there." One of the toms ducked his head down, his reddish tabby coat prickling in guilt as he looked at his mother's dead body, before glancing away. The she-cat didn't notice, continuing; "Silver went ahead of her, traveling across the Monsterpath to get there. Destiny followed her, and they met Golde, her kits and Speckle. They were told about what happens to cats at the Redhouse and they both knew that they couldn't leave them there to be taken to their deaths by the humans."

She paused, staring far off, as if remembering some horrible accident. She wrapped her tail around her paws, suppressing a shudder. "I found them as they were coming back over the Monsterpath. A monster suddenly appeared on the path and swiped at her, sending her flying off into the bushes. That's where we had found her, broken and dead." She bowed her head, and the other cats followed her, sadness hanging in the atmosphere around them.

A black-and-white tom raised his head, blue eyes flashing pale in the moonlight. "Dapples, might I say a few words?"

The calico she-cat raised her head, looking at her apprentice, her eyes brimming with tears. She could not bring herself to say any words and merely nodded, moving to the side so to give the black-and-white tom somewhere to sit. His eyes immediately sought the two toms who had bore the dead she-cat in and he dipped his head towards them. "I sure I speak for all of us when I say that though we cannot fully understand your pain, we have all suffered a similar loss in our lives. We knew Destiny as a second mother and for some our only mother and, though we were with her for only a short time, we loved her dearly. We hope that we might see her again, wherever her spirit might be, and that she will be watching over us and approving of whatever decisions we will make in the seasons to come." He bowed his head. The two toms blinked gratefully at him and Dapples ran her tail over his coat in gratitude.

"Thank you, Raven," she meowed, and the black-and-white tom dropped off the wooden wall. She looked over the clan, eyes sparkling. "Let us not look at yesterday in complete sadness, for if it wasn't for the brave efforts of Silver and Destiny, we would never have been able to meet Golde and the kits. If you are willing, Golde, Speckle, we would happy if you joined our clan. We will protect you from enemies, and bring you food for you and your kits." Her eyes darkened. "I am sure this is what Destiny would have offered, if she were alive."

The grey queen shifted, golden eyes gleaming brightly in the moonlight. "Thank you kindly for your offer, Dapples. I would love to stay for as long as I can, but I am a housecat at heart and am bound to return to my old life sometime in the distant future. I'm sure my kits would love to stay and I know that you will keep them safe in the days to come. I will stay for as long as my kits need me."

Dapples dipped her head. "We are sorry to hear that, Golde. But that is a long time away and we hope you might change your mind before then." She looked over to one of the other newcomers. "Speckle, would you be willing to stay?"

The spotted grey cat looked surprised, her yellow eyes gleaming with an undescribeable emotion. "Yes, please!" she meowed loudly. Realizing how loud she was, she ducked her head in embarrassment. "I-if you would have me."

Dapples smiled at her, her eyes gleaming with warmth. "Of course we would, Speckle. I'm sure you will find a place here in the clan." She paused, her attention turning to all the other cats. "There is one more thing I wish to speak about today. We have considered ourselves family, though we have never truly called each other by any name. We are a clan, but a nameless clan, and today I wish to ask you all if you would approve of the name I have for this clan."

The cats looked at her in varying degrees of surprise, ears flicking and tail-tips twitching in curiosity. Dapples dipped her head. "Since it was Destiny who made this clan as it is today, I would like to honor her by naming the clan after her. We shall be called DestinyClan." She gazed around, recognizing the approval of her choice in the eyes of her clanmates. A wave of pleasure and warmth filled her. "And may we honor her name with everything we should do for the Clan."

"DestinyClan!" yowled one of the two tom, jumping up with the shout. His yellow pelt flashed and his amber eyes sparkled as he looked from his sister to his brother. The red tabby blinked at him, jumping to his paws to join in. "DestinyClan!"

"_DestinyClan! DestinyClan!_"

The rest of the clan joined in until the whole Greenhouse shook with the sound of their yowls. Their eyes gleamed as they looked at each other. It seemed that something magical was happening tonight, joining the Clan together and weaving their lives into one unstoppable force.

"_Destiny! Destiny! Destiny!_"

Dapples body shook with the noise and it was a long while before the Greenhouse became silent again. She gestured with her tail for silence, her eyes warm and a smile growing on her face. "Thank you. All of you," she meowed solemnly. "I believe my mother's death will not be the end of our friendship, but the beginning of something great!" She turned her eyes downward towards Raven, but she continued to address the clan even as a flash of sorrow clouded her eyes. "Our lives will be filled with meetings and partings for many seasons to come, I fear, but we must not waver on our path."

She looked each of them in the eye, drawing their attention. "I will do my best to lead the Clan, but you and I both know that I cannot do this alone. I have learned from Destiny all I could about herbs, but I have never made many of the decisions she had made. I am only a Healer, nothing more, and my duty is to make sure that all the cats under my care do not die before their time. I believe we need a leader, someone to give us strength and to guide us through to the end of our journey. And I believe that leader needs a helper, a Second, who can help them shoulder the weight of leadership." She blinked. "Who should we nominate?"

"Silver!" yowled the red tabby, his gaze seeking out the light grey and white she-cat. His gaze was fierce as he looked up to Dapples. "Destiny and Silver went to the Redhouse that night for the kits. I believe she will care for the Clan just like Destiny cared for us!"

"Lion!" yowled a red queen, her three kits staggered around her footpaws. Her amber eyes were level as she looked up at Dapples. "He trained us and cared for us, taught us how to hunt. If anyone would care about the Clan, it would be Lion! Not that fleabag!" She shot a glare at the light grey and white-spotted she-cat, but Silver didn't notice. Her blue eyes were fixed on Destiny's body.

Dapples turned her gaze on the rest of the Clan. "Are they the only ones?" she asked, waiting a few moments more for someone else to speak up. No cat spoke up. She nodded to herself. "Then it is decided. But who should be leader? Silver or Lion? Let us all cast our vote, _one at a time_. I'm sure Tiger and Blaze have already cast their vote, and Silver and Lion can't very well vote for themselves. Raven?"

The black-and-white tom stood up, but didn't join Dapples again. His calm blue eyes looked into the eyes of all his Clanmates from his spot beneath the wooden wall. "I remember how much interest Destiny had in Silver. She had faith in Silver when no one else did. She followed Silver to the Redhouse, not because she didn't think of going first but because - _I believe_ - she wanted to be sure that Silver would go. Silver has lost her kits, and she tried to save the kits she heard about in rumors, going to that dreaded house to find them. She showed courage and heart when she made that decision." He sat down, his tail curling around his paws. "I vote for Silver as leader."

Tiger's amber eyes showed in triumph. Silver looked up from Destiny's body, shock and surprise flashing in her eyes as she searched Raven's steady gaze.

Blaze snorted. "She is _his_ sister," she muttered crossly.

Beside her, a light brown she-cat flinched and stood up. "I-I would like to vote for Lion," she meowed, glancing at her red sister.

Lion dipped his head, eyes gentled. "Thank you, Hearth."

Dapples ear flicked. "Speckle?"

The grey she-cat's eyes widenned in surprise. "Yes, Dapples?" she asked.

Dapples couldn't help but smile at the she-cat. "Destiny died for you to have a home and a life here, Speckles. You have as much right to speak as everyone else."

She stared at Dapples, disbelievingly, before ducking her head. "I vote for Silver," she meowed. "She saved my life and found me a home." She stared at the yellow tom, uncertainty sparking her eyes, but he merely nodded in acknowledgement, his eyes kind.

Dapples nodded toward Golde. "And you, Golde?"

"I vote for Silver," she meowed, nodding toward Lion. "If I understand this correctly, a leader needs to take care of the whole Clan. Silver lead us across the Monsterpath and away from the Redhouse, though she is still awkward around anyone that isn't a kit." A warm purr rumbled in her throat. "She has determination and heart. And if I understand everyone's opinion of you, Lion, you have compassion for everyone, whether or not they are a kit, and though I don't know if you'll make a great leader, I know you will take care of the whole Clan to the best of your ability."

Warmth glowed in Lion's bright amber eyes. "Thank you, Golde. I hope I live up to your expectations."

Golde's ears burned in embarrassment and she dipped her head. Dapples smiled from her spot on the wooden wall and she looked over the Clan, her gaze landing on Silver. The light-grey she-cat looked stunned, unable to believe what was happening around her.

Dapples nodded her head and gestured with a tail flick at the she-cat. "It seems we have a new leader. Silver, please come here."

The she-cat paused, uncertain, before slowly rising to her paws and standing before Dapples. A tail flick from the Healer commanded her to sit down, and she obeyed, bemused. The rest of the Clan shifted, slightly confused. Raven's eyes remained narrow and calm, his white tail flicking around his paws.

"Silver," Dapples began, lifting her head to the sky. "I say these words before the body of Destiny, so her lingering spirit may hear and approve my words. Long ago, Destiny had wanted to take us out of the Shadowlands, but she discovered kits living at the Redhouse, who later began living with her in the forest, and she decided to wait until they had fully grown before her Clan could travel." Silver flinched at those words, but forced herself not to stare at her own shuffling paws. "By vote of the Clan, the task of leadership is now passed down to you. To honor Destiny and her wishes, I wish to rename Silver, so that she might remember her promise every time someone should say her name."

A ripple of surprise washed over the Clan, but they did not dare interrupt.

Dapples looked at Silver with suddenly shrewd eyes. "Silver, do you accept the leadership of the Clan, to guide the Clan through unknown dangers, to protect your Clanmates even at the cost of your own life, and to accept the new name I should give you to you? Remember, this name is not just to honor your new position, Silver, but to remind you of the promise you will be making by accepting leadership of this Clan."

Silver stared at those green eyes, a strange awe filling her at the depths of their wisdom. It was almost like looking at Destiny again, and that made a pang flash through her heart. "I do," she said, as firmly as she could.

"Then from this day forward, you shall be known as Silverpelt." Dapples blinked her eyes at the new Leader, knowledge flickering in their green depths. "I name you this because, beyond the clouds and out of the Shadowlands, long after our time has passed, cats will look at the sky and call it Silverpelt in memory of what you are about to do." She wrapped her tail around her paws as she sat. A stunned silence filled the Greenhouse.

"Silverpelt!" yowled Tiger, teeth bared in a grin.

"Silverpelt!" yowled Lion, backing up his brother.

"Silverpelt!" yowled Raven, his blue eyes flashing as he looked at his sister.

"_Silverpelt! Silverpelt! Silverpelt!_"

The Greenhouse rumbled with the yowls of the Clan, before a flick of Dapples' tail silenced them. She beckoned Silverpelt to the top of the wooden wall, and the soft-grey she-cat joined her, turning to address her Clan. She paused, her blue eyes sweeping across the group of cats, waiting expectantly for her words.

She sucked in a deep breath. "My Clan..." she trailed off, glancing uncertainly at Dapples. Dapples gave an encouraging smile. She glanced at her brother, who encouraged her with a nod. "...forgive me. I'm not as adapt at giving speeches as our Healer."

A few cats chuckled in amusement, the rumbling wave of purrs giving Silverpelt strength. She bowed her head, gazing at Destiny's body. "I can never be as a good a mother to the Clan as Destiny was, but I will do my best to be compassionate." She nodded her head at Golde, who wrapped her tails around her paws and ducked her head down in embarrassment. "Destiny wanted our kits to be old enough to travel and survive on their own before we left the Shadowlands. I will not wait as long as she did. When the kits are old enough to travel, we will leave." Her gaze flickered over the three red bundles in Blaze's care. "When they reach the age of seven moons, we will leave. Six moons to grow into their limbs, and one moon of training." She looked at Feral, Speckle and Coal. "If the Clan and Golde approves, I would like to have her kits and Speckle start their training now. I do not expect them to learn to defend themselves, only the basics of hunting." She wrapped her tail around her paws, her eyes narrowed in determination. "I will do my best to prepare the Clan for leaving these Shadowlands and finding a home beyond our borders."

A tail on her shoulder stopped her from continuing, and she looked at Dapples. The Healer nodded and gestured that the she-cat step aside to give her more space on the wall.

"DestinyClan, I wish to honor our new Second, for even though the leadership of our Clan is indeed an important role, the role of our Second is also important. For in the case of our leader's death, our Second will become the next leader of the Clan. Lion, please come forward."

Lion stepped forward, uncertain. Dapples bowed her head. "Do you promise to guide the Clan and teach it, and to protect it even at the cost of your own life?"

A shudder rippled down his pelt in his excitement and he bowed his head. "I do," he meowed, solemnly.

"Then we honor and accept you as the new Second of DestinyClan!"

"Lion!" yowled Blaze, startling her kits.

"_Lion! Lion! Lion!_" roared the Clan.

Dapples bowed her head, gesturing to her brother to step aside, meowing out of the side of her mouth to Silverpelt, "Do what I do." She dropped down to the ground and pressed her nose against his, warmth flashing in her eyes at her brother. She moved aside to let Silverpelt do the same. Silverpelt touched noses with Lion and the Clan cheered.

As the Clan cats gathered around to speak to congratulate Silverpelt and Lion, the healer moved up beside her apprentice and the black-and-white tom turned slightly to her. She registered the strange look in his eyes, and nodded her head, slightly confused.

"Did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head. "I liked that naming idea. You should do it for the rest of the Clan, too. I believe it will make them feel more a part of the Clan, like they have earned their position to among us." He looked over the new cats and the old cats as they talked to their leader.

She shook her head. "Perhaps, after we leave the Shadowlands and when we have something to celebrate. After we have accompished something without the aid of new name."

Raven tilted his head, his eyes narrowed. "Maybe, we won't have to wait that long," he murmured, his hooded eyes glowing. "You've changed, Dapples," he observed.

She blinked, wincing. "Yeah," she agreed. "I feel it. Ever since Destiny died, I've felt more alone than I ever thought I could. I've felt as if I had to step up to the challenge."

"You mean it has nothing to do with Spot's spirit being gone," he meowed knowingly.

Her eyes flashed in surprise and her head snapped toward Raven. "How did you know about Spottedkit?"

He grinned. "The same reason I know that I don't belong here. I have somewhere else I need to be." His calm intelligent eyes looked over the Clan. "A destiny lies elsewhere for all of us."

She wrapped her tail around her paws, her eyes thoughtful. "When you slept by the tree yesterday... you spoke with her, didn't you?"

He nodded. "I spoke with your Uncle, too. He told me I had to go. Your kin needs my help."

She shook her head in confusion, but refrained from questioning him. "I'll be sure to tell the Clan before you go," she meowed. "But at least wait until the kits are a moon older. You might find a student in one of them, and he might be useful on the way."

"_'He'_?" the tom echoed, amusement sparkling in his eyes.

Dapples shifted uncomfortably, her eyes narrowed. "Just stay," she meowed. "Trust me on this."

Raven touched her nose, smiling. "I always trust you, Dapples."

The calico smiled and leaned into him, pressing her flack into his and watching the Clan with hooded eyes. Her eyes automatically turned toward the body of her mother, where her tawny brother had pressed up against Destiny's fur.

Dapples' eyes narrowed, seeing the familiar pain in her brother's form. _I promise to keep your Clan safe, Momma. Always._


	3. One Month Later

**Chapter 2**

_One Month Later  
_

* * *

The Shadowlands stretched out in all directions beyond the Cabin's cat door, hiding beneath the dark clouds that forever covered the eerie landscape in shadow, choking off the very life of the trees and occasionally spraying the world in its acidic rain. The dark, scrawny forest had been the home of Destiny's Clan for as long as most of them could remember. They had been born on this property or nearby in someone else's property and had no real knowledge of the outside world beyond the whimsical stories their Mothers had told them. As the resting place of Destiny, it became even harder for the leading cats to even think of leaving. Before very long, a moon had passed since Silver's name had been changed to Silverpelt, and the whole Clan hadn't gotten any closer to leaving the wretched place.

Dapples frowned as she lay in the middle of the Moon Clearing, gazing up at the full moon that peered out proudly from the center of dark clouds. No matter what time of day it was, what day of the cycle of the Moon, or how cloudy it was in the sky, the Moon Clearing always had a hole in the dark clouds for the full moon to shine through. It bespoke of the sheer power that the spirit had over the small piece of land, no matter what the Shadowlands attempted to do in order to conquer the sky, that source of light will always shine through.

But a new addition to the sky had only been the tip of the Iceberg of change. A single bright white star gleamed over the Clearing, sparkling with defiance of the dark clouds that surround it. That bright star could be seen anywhere in the Shadowlands, out on patrol or through the cracks of the Cabin ceiling. It had been there in the sky since the day Destiny had been hit by the Monster on the Monsterpath, and it had since been named after the dead queen; Destiny. It was a constant promise of the she-cat and a beacon of hope that they indeed had a future, wherever it led.

"Maybe it's made of cheese," mewed a familiar voice, "or perhaps it's the source of all this moondust."

The calico she-cat looked back at the dark tunnel mouth, blinking as the familiar black and white tom emerged into the pale light.

"How did you find this place?" Dapples asked, startled.

Raven frowned. "You mean you haven't noticed?" he meowed, surprised. "The moondust has started to disappear from the tunnels. You can smell things in there now."

Dapples blinked, feeling a strange sadness swell inside of her as she looked away and up at the sky. "It seems this place keeps losing it magic the more we stay," she meowed at last.

The tom tilted his head in confusion. "Magic?" He gazed up at the sky. "Not exactly the term I would use," he mused.

Dapples snorted, resting her head on her paws as she gazed around the clearing, up the steep walls that led to some undisclosed location in the forest.

"Isn't this the place Tiger fell?" Raven asked.

"Yeah," she meowed with a sigh, "scared the dung out of me and Silverpelt."

He snorted. "Not surprising there. Tiger has a way of scaring everyone, especially those who care about him the most."

"Except Silverpelt," she meowed bitterly.

He tilted his head again, surprise flickering through his gaze. "Silverpelt cares about Tiger," he meowed slowly.

"How? She's the one who murdered Tiger's kits."

Raven sat down, staring at the she-cat. "Y'know, just because Destiny's dead doesn't mean you need to start thinking like her." Dapples flinched, confirming Raven's thoughts. He sighed. "Besides, Silverpelt was devastated by her loss, more so than even Tiger, I imagine. She's already paid the price, and she doesn't need you reminding her of it."

Dapples said nothing, causing Raven to step forward, his eyebrows knotted in concern. "Or is this about something else?"

She snorted, looking up at Raven. "How can you read people so easily?"

He snorted. "Practice. But it helps when you're surrounded by people who are easy to read."

She gave an amused snort, tail tip flicking around restlessly, but her thoughts quickly turned dark and a frown marred her face.

Raven sighed. "Don't worry, Dapples. I'm sure you're going to have kits eventually. Just be patient."

She gave a slow nod, before changing the topic. "How's Coal's training going?"

"He's an excellent hunter, though still a bit pudgy," he admitted. "He has ambition, I give you that, and he's a quick learner. Not exactly Healer material."

Dapples frowned. "If he's a good hunter, it would be best to keep him in the Clans. Tiger and Lion are amazingly well, but the cold season will be coming fast and we'll need all the best hunters we can afford."

"According to Silverpelt, that shouldn't be a problem. Which reminds me – has Hearth and Silverpelt caught up on their training yet?"

"Silverpelt is working on it with Tiger, when he's not busy with that rogue Feral." Her whiskers twitched in amusement. "But Hearth is slacking off more and more in that regard. She's fascinated with Feral, which I suppose is a good thing in this instance. I mean, she watches Feral while Tiger trains Silverpelt."

"But it's slowing us down," Raven guessed.

She nodded. "Fire, Whitepaw, and Dawn will be ready for training in another two month."

"Well, I think I might be long gone with Coal by then," Raven mused thoughtfully, "which makes me wonder who's going to train them. You already have Speckle, so that makes you unavailable, and since Blaze will need some training to get back into shape, she's also unavailable."

Dapples' ear flicked. "Just don't let her hear you say that."

Raven purred in amusement. "I'll keep that in mind."

A comfortable silence settled over them, before Dapples finally continued. "And with Tiger currently taking care of both Feral and Silverpelt… we might end up having to do the same thing we did when you four first arrived."

"But even that didn't more out well," Raven pointed out. "Blaze only got so good because of the extra training Lion put into her." He paused. "Which makes me worry about how much Lion will expect out of his kits. He might expect too much and he might expect too little."

"Silverpelt should be done by her training by then. That's what she's hoping, anyway."

"Really?" said Raven. "I don't think that's possible, Dapples."

"I know, but she seems eager and confident enough."

" 'Pride goeth before the fall'."

"What?"

"Nothing. Nevermind."

Dapples tilted her head in confusion, but decided not to press. "I'll have to discuss it with Lion in another moon. This is going to be a huge problem."

Raven nodded, sliding up to his adopted sister and pressing his fur up against her. "It's going to be very difficult keeping this clan in line. I wish you the best of luck, Spots."

The calico gave a soft smile. "Thank you, Raven."

They gazed up at the sky together, basking in the silver light of the moon and single twinkling star. She sighed, thinking to herself.

_I hope you're watching us right now, Destiny. We'll need your guidance when we finally leave this place._

* * *

It was sunhigh when Dapples finally emerged from the Moon Clearing, after meowing a 'see ya later' to Raven, who had decided to visit the Greenhouse in hopes of receiving dreams from the Moon Tree. She spotted Speckle easily enough, the grey she-cat busying herself with sorting herbs. She had been six moons already when she had arrived one month ago, and after a full month of Healer training she was she shaping up to be a good replacement for Raven when he finally went. Dapples had made sure to teach her some hunting and fighting skills on the side, hoping that she would be old enough to train one of the three ginger kits when they finally became apprentices. She wanted the same done to Feral, but he was much more aggressive and did not seem interested in apprenticing anytime soon. Since Hearth kept him distracted from his duties, Dapples was all but ready to give up on him and any chance he had of apprenticing early. Tiger was certainly not helping, focusing instead on training Silverpelt, leaving Lion to pick up his slack. Feral, unfortunately, did not seem interested in obeying Lion's commands. So Lion had quickly abandoned him, putting his skills to better use by hunting for the clan and organizing patrols.

She blinked as she noticed a grey queen sitting next Coal, realizing that she had forgotten entirely about Golde, the mother of the two apprentices. Even after the five months she spent at the Redhouse, Golde insisted on returning to the life of a house cat, something which Dapples could never fully understand. Her kits were here, her life had abandoned her, and there was a home and food here for her to eat. She quickly padded over, wondering what tales of twoleg life she was feeding Coal and worried that it might encourage the black apprentice to leave, whether right now or on the journey with Raven.

"Evening, Golde, Coal," she greeted them. "How are you enjoying Clan life, Golde?"

The queen stretched her limbs, her muscles rippling under her sleek coat. Her bones protruded from her chest, but that was a common sight in the Clan and to be expected. They didn't have as much food as they would have liked, and with the new cats it had become even more straining to find prey. Dapples made a mental note to ask Lion about how far the patrols were having to go, and if Golde had any hunting skills that could be of aid to the Clan. After all, if Golde decided to stay she could very well have a position as a mentor in the next few months.

The queen smiled. "It's great, Dapples," she meowed politely, her house cat accent sounding strange in Dapples' ears. "I have never felt this kind of freedom before. Being able to run around all day and catch my own food. Did I ever tell you that I was the kit of a mouser? Never really hunted until now, but Lion informs me that I have some skill."

_Well, that's one question answered._ She would have to check with Lion to confirm, she reminded herself. She returned the smile. "That sounds great. You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself."

"Mom was going to show me how to hunt squirrel," Coal piped up, licking his lips. "I can't wait to catch of few of those around the Moon Tree."

"The Moon Tree?" she meowed, startled. She hadn't realized that things had gotten that desperate.

"Yeah, Lion said yesterday that we would have to start hunting for them around the base of the Tree," continued Coal, frowning. "Raven wasn't too happy about it though."

_Of course, he wouldn't be. _The Moon Tree was his favorite place to sit and rest against, claiming that it could somehow give him dreams. She recalled Silverpelt's moment beside the tree, how she fell asleep there and had some strange dream that had made her cry. Perhaps, she should attempt to sleep next to the Tree, to see if it would give her a dream. Since she stopped meeting cats at the Moon Clearing, it seemed the best place to go. _Why didn't I think of that before?_ she mused. "That's not surprising," she meowed.

Golde tilted her head. "Really? Does he like the Moon Tree?"

"Yes. In a way, I guess it reminds him of Destiny." She glanced away briefly, before looking at Coal. "Perhaps you should join him, Coal. You might learn a few things from experiencing the tree."

"Sure," he meowed, before padding swiftly off, his tail held high. An uncomfortable silence hung over the two she-cats, causing Dapples to frown.

"Golde," she began, catching the other's golden eyes. "I need an answer, now more than ever."

"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes narrowed.

"It's not about the prey," she meowed, remembering an earlier conversation. "It's about needing a new mentor. We are going to have three kits soon, along with Feral as an apprentice. And with Tiger preoccupied by Silverpelt, Lion and Hearth by Feral, and with Blaze out of shape and Raven leaving, well… we need a new hunting mentor. Golde, we need you."

The grey mouser stared at the healer, absorbing her words in silence. She finally forced her lips to move, speaking with apologetic softness. "I'm a house cat, Dapples, nothing can change that."

"I don't believe that," meowed Dapples. "Destiny was a house cat before she came here, and she came here because of her kits, because of us. Your kits need you Golde, we need you. _Please_."

Golde frowned, shifting her paws. "I'll have to think about it."

Dapples sighed, but dipped her head in acknowledgement. "We would love to have you, Golde," she meowed quietly, before meowing a soft 'see ya later' and turning back towards the tunnel.

* * *

**And here we are with some actual plot. So, sometime in the next few chapters, Raven's going to leave, and then we are going to end up with another time jump. Around that time, things will be starting to really pick up. Woohoo!**

**Also, if you guys would like to see me continue writing this story, just post a review or if you don't have much to say, just put 'Keep writing' in a review and I'll get the picture. But if I don't get any reviews, I'm afraid I won't be posting another chapter. It's the same rules as Before the Stars_._**

**So, please leave a review!**


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